How To Make Money Traveling

First a little disclaimer. If all travel jobs were easy, everyone would be doing them. Many of these professions require passion, specialized training, time commitment, and talent. For those that don’t, the pay just isn’t great.

There is no magic way to instantly make lots of money traveling.

The truth about becoming location independent is that it takes years of hard work and sacrifice behind the scenes — something too many people conveniently ignore.

That said, it’s not impossible to make money on the road either. The people who have these jobs invested their time and resources learning the ropes — which means you can do the same if you make it a priority like they did.

We all have the same 24 hours, how will you spend yours?

Expat, Digital Nomad, or Vagabond?

Not all “travel” jobs are created equally. The opportunities listed here fall under one of the following categories — expat jobs, digital nomad jobs, or what I’ll call vagabonding. What’s the difference you ask?

Expat Jobs

Expat stands for “ex-patriot”. Meaning while you are a citizen of one country, you choose to live/work in a foreign country. Expat jobs are only related to travel in that you’re working in a different country from your own. You may live in that country for months at a time, so you aren’t exactly nomadic.

Examples: English teacher, nanny, foreign service, etc.

Digital Nomad

Digital Nomads work from their computers. This makes them location independent. As long as they have access to the internet, they can earn a living. Blogging falls under this category, so it also describes my lifestyle. Digital nomads are free to travel at will, working from coffee shops or hotels.

Examples: Online business, freelance writing, social media, etc.

Vagabonds

Vagabonds do work that I’ll call “alternative” jobs. The type of work that doesn’t require a computer, but a more hands-on approach. Think musicians, artists, or manual labor. Access to the internet or owning a computer aren’t mandatory requirements. Pay might be under the table.

Examples: Street vendor, musician, farm work, etc.

Best Travel Jobs (2016)

The following travel jobs encompass one or more of those categories. Keep in mind not all of these jobs are suitable for everyone.

If you have a university degree, you might not be as willing to pick berries on a farm as someone else might be. Or maybe you are!

We all have different backgrounds, skills, and comfort levels.

Jeremy Bartending and Traveling

Bartender/Server

Bars, nightclubs and restaurants are located worldwide and the job description is pretty much the same everywhere. It helps to speak the language, so you may need to invest in a few weeks of language classes. Touristy places will be easier to find work and there’s no minimum or maximum time requirement. Plus the more experience you gain as a bartender, the more job opportunities will open up, with a potential for higher income.

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Tour Guide

You could consider getting a job as a local tour guide or tour assistant for an international company, either at a single popular location or for larger multi-destination tours. Or you can think entrepreneurial and start your very own tours! Maybe it’s the best un-marked surf spots, an awesome local hiking trip, or showing people the coolest bars and restaurants in town.

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Freelance Translator

Obviously you need to know a second language to be a translator, but maybe not as much as you think. Sure you probably won’t be working at the United Nations, but the opportunities are as open as your imagination. You could charge a restaurant to translate their menu, work for a tour company selling tours to tourists who speak your language, or offer freelance translation services online. The more fluent you are, the more money you can make.

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Backpacker Hostel Staff

Backpacker hostels frequently hire travelers to fill positions on a short term basis in exchange for free room and board. There are many different types of jobs, from working the front desk to housekeeping or bartending. If you plan to stay longer term, some hostels offer paid positions too. Actually, I once got paid to work at a backpacker hostel in Hawaii many years ago.

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Fitness Instructor

Another job that allows you to travel the world while making money is working as a freelance fitness instructor. You can teach classes on pilates, yoga, zumba, dance, or provide services as a personal trainer if you have enough experience in these fields. Some instructors make deals with local gyms or backpacker hostels in order to use their facilities with clients.

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English Teacher

Do you know how to speak English? Sweet! You may not realize it, but professional English teachers are highly sought after around the world — and the pay can be decent. However just understanding the language isn’t enough, you generally need a college degree and a TEFL certification (Teaching English as a Foreign Language).

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Massage Therapist

Massage therapy is in demand worldwide as an effective treatment for reducing stress, pain and muscle tension. Trained therapists can offer their skills to weary travelers or expatriates near popular tourist destinations. Work for a larger company or strike out on your own as an entrepreneur. Find clients by teaming up with hotels and giving them a cut for referring customers. Print flyers to hang up around gyms, coffee shops, etc.

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Internet Poker

It almost sounds too good to be true. Playing poker online for a living, from anywhere in the world. But like anything else, it requires lots of hard work to make the lifestyle sustainable. You need to be good with numbers, possess strong willpower to play for hours, keep your emotions in check, and be able to stay focused on the task at hand.

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Web/Graphic Design

One of the most common jobs for traveling digital nomads is graphic or website design. All you need is your computer, an eye for design, and knowledge of certain software programs and online platforms. Things like Photoshop, Dreamweaver, WordPress, Illustrator, etc. Talent for writing code helps too — specifically HTML, PHP, and CSS. School helps, but it’s also possible to learn on your own with tutorials.

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Work On A Yacht / Cruise Ship

Traveling the world while working on private yachts or large cruise ships is an awesome way to see some pretty exotic places. Food, accommodation, transportation, and insurance is covered too — so it’s a great way to save money. Many jobs also provide plenty of vacation time to travel on your own. There are different types of positions available: deck-hand, stewardess, chef, tour manager, entertainment, engineer, and more.

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Professional Chef

Working in the kitchen as a traveling chef gives you the opportunity to work anywhere in the world. However the hours are long, irregular, and stressful. Traveling chefs can land jobs at traditional restaurants, hotels, cruise ships, private yachts, food trucks, or even work for private households. Being well-rounded with past experience helps your chances too. Jobs vacancies are often listed online, either in classifieds or company websites.

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Day Trading

Like many of the jobs in this list, you can’t just jump into gambling on the stock market without any prior experience and expect to become rich. However I’ve met quite a few people who make money traveling and day trading. It usually takes a few years and losing some money before it starts to pay off. A background in finance and spare cash to invest helps too.

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Street Vendor

Jewelry is the most popular item to sell, but it could also be art, clothing, leather goods… anything where you can source materials locally in bulk to make a product yourself. Setting up as a vendor requires supplies, possibly meaning a longer time in one location, but if you’re going to spend a season in one place it can be worth it. Find a location with lots of tourist traffic like walking streets or public beaches.

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Festival Circuit

You don’t have to be a big name performer to work at festivals around the world. There are side-stage acts, installations, event staff, and food vendors too. Festivals always bring on lots of staff before, during and after the events. You can time southern hemisphere Australian and New Zealand festivals between Canadian, American and European summer circuits.

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Sports Instructor

Are you exceptionally good at a particular sport? Share your knowledge with others and get a job as a professional instructor. Surfing, kitesurfing, skiing, scuba diving, skydiving, rock climbing, fly fishing, kayaking, tennis, sailing, mountaineering, etc. Earn an income doing what you love while traveling.

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Au Pair

An au pair is a professional live-in babysitter or nanny hired by a family to help their kids learn a new language and do some household chores in exchange for room, board, and a weekly income. The job allows you to live in a foreign country, learn a new language, and experience the culture first-hand while making some money.

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Flight Attendant

The life of a flight attendant may seem glamours. Constantly jetting around the world, partying it up in different cities, experiencing different cultures, 90% off airline tickets, hotel discounts, cheap rent, and working above the clouds. But it’s hard work too. The training is tough, the hours are long, and all the moving around can get lonely. However for those with a case of wanderlust, it can help you travel the world.

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Foreign Service

Working for the foreign service (aka diplomat) or an intergovernmental organization (IGO) is one travel job that allows you to experience life in a different part of the world. Most of these government jobs are only open to people with university degrees or knowledge of foreign languages. Applications and tests for these types of positions can be found online.

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Photographer

Becoming a professional travel or adventure photographer and selling your images from around the world takes years of hard work. You can upload photos in bulk to micro-stock sites or sell images to clients directly for use in magazines, books, brand campaigns, or websites. Running guided photography tours and selling online tutorials are additional ways to make money as a traveling photographer.

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Travel Writer

Writing about travel seems to be a dream job for many, however it’s not something most people can just jump into. First, you have to be a great writer. Next, you need to learn about networking, pitching to editors, and all the other business stuff involved. Once you have those down, then it’s possible to write for magazines, newspapers, websites, or travel guidebooks.

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Drop Shipping / Amazon FBA

It has a few names and variations, but buying products overseas then re-branding them and selling through Amazon is an increasingly common way to make money while traveling. Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) means you don’t need an actual storefront location because products are stocked at Amazon’s network of fulfillment centers around the world.

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Blogging

Making money as a blogger while traveling is a dream job for many. But like most things in life, it’s hardly that simple. Making money with a blog is hard work — and can take years. Travel blogging isn’t the only option either. Other examples include food bloggers, mommy bloggers, fashion bloggers, and lifestyle bloggers. Income generally comes from advertising, affiliate sales, books, influencer projects, etc. But first you need to build an audience!

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Me! Check out my resources below about how to become a travel blogger.

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$500 – $20,000+ per month

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Musician / Street Performer

Also known as busking, use your best talents to make some money from tourists. Create an act, grab an instrument, pick a spot with lots of foot traffic, and drop a hat. Many cities require a permit for busking, so make sure to do your research first. Do you have any special talents? Acrobatics, painting, fortune telling, music, break dancing, henna art, it could be anything.

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AirBnB

I’m sure you’ve heard of AirBnB by now, the holiday apartment booking site that lets you stay in other people’s homes rather than hotels. Well some enterprising individuals are renting out their flats while they travel, making decent income. The key is automating the process as much as possible so you don’t have to be there in person.

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Seasonal Jobs

I’ve met many travelers around the world who work seasonally, spending part of the year earning money and then traveling for months in the off-season. The number of jobs in this category are countless. Construction, school teachers, commercial fishing, oil workers, electricians, ski resort staff, etc. But again, these jobs depend on what skills you currently possess or are willing to learn.

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Peace Corp / NGO

Want the experience of a lifetime helping others less fortunate than yourself? Try volunteering with the Peace Corp or a Non-Governmental Organization. Just keep in mind that volunteer work is a full-time job. While it makes your life rich with experiences, the money isn’t great. You’ll build confidence to handle any challenge — because the work itself is challenging.

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Marketing / PR

Again, not something you can just learn in a week. There is a reason people go to school and get a degree in marketing. However if you have a business/marketing background, there is no reason why you can’t freelance this type of work from a hammock in Bali. In fact it’s becoming much more common — I’ve met plenty of people helping authors or brands get their name out to a wider audience while traveling.

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Video Work / Vlogging

Traveling around the world making videos is another dream job, and some people make a very good living with it. There are a few different paths too — shooting and selling stock footage, becoming a popular YouTuber, or producing highly polished marketing films for tourism boards & travel brands. A strong knowledge of video, editing, networking, and marketing is highly recommended for this type of work.

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Travel Nurse

To become a travel nurse, you must first get a degree as a registered nurse (RN) which takes 2-4 years. Once you have that, it’s possible to apply for temporary travel nursing jobs which can last up to 13 weeks. Depending on he assignment, sometimes these jobs include tax-free income, free housing, medical coverage, rental cars, and more. There are travel nurse staffing agencies that specialize in helping you locate a job overseas too.

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Computer Programmer

If you already have the skills & training needed as a computer programmer, than transitioning your cubicle office job into a freelance position with location independence would give you the freedom to travel. There are special freelance programming websites where you can bid on jobs, or you can try to launch a company to build your own products like iPhone apps or custom web applications.

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Virtual Assistant

With advancements in office technology and a desire to reduce employee costs, business are increasing looking to hire virtual assistants who can work from home (or anywhere for that matter). There is little that personal assistants can’t do remotely these days. Social media scheduling, responding to customer enquires, calendar management, and all sorts of other tasks can be taken care of by a competent virtual assistant.

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Professional Consultant

Are you an expert in your field? Working as a professional consultant for companies may give you the ticket to location independence. Consultants work on short term projects, helping businesses grow by training staff how to do something better. For example, instructing a business how to use social media effectively, or how to become more environmentally friendly. Generally they are paid to share their specialized expertise.

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Working Holiday Visas

A working holiday visa is a special residence permit allowing travelers to legally work in foreign countries to supplement their travel funds. They are generally intended for people between the ages of 18 to 30, and requirements differ based on the country. Some popular destinations for working holidays include Australia, Canada, New Zealand, France, Ireland, and Singapore.